Suspect Convictions

The burning corpse of a 9-year old girl was found on a school playground in Davenport, Iowa, September 17, 1990.
Within days of the discovery of Jennifer Lewis’ charred body, police arrested Stanley Liggins, an African American who had just been released from prison. An Iowa jury convicted him and after 26-years behind bars, an appellate court has granted him a new trial.
The court’s decision was prompted by allegations of hidden evidence and potential police misconduct. Liggins will stand trial in May 2017. And once again, the question will be asked: Who killed Jennifer Lewis?
Veteran journalist Scott Reeder, who was at the crime scene the night Jennifer was killed, has conducted a massive investigation examining evidence in the case, interviewing witnesses and exploring the lives of both the victim and the accused. Troubling new developments have been uncovered. Reeder teamed with the NPR affiliate, WVIK, to produce this podcast: “Suspect Convictions.”

This week, we sat down with a panel of guests to talk about the case. Both defense and prosecutor attorneys from the original case have agreed to discuss, and we’ve brought in veteran true-crime investigator and bestselling author Aphrodite Jones.

Panelists:

Aphrodite Jones: New York times bestselling author of “Cruel Sacrifice” and host of the TV show “True Crime with Aphrodite Jones.” AphroditeJones.com

Bill Davis: Former Scott County Attorney, prosecutor in first two trials.

Mike Tobey: Stanley Liggins 2nd defense attorney

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There are a lot of reasons that the Stanley Liggins case is far from a done deal. In this episode, we are talking about the other suspects, why their behavior is strange, why the jury won’t even know about a lot of the information we have, and how that could play into the final decision.

What role does the media play in a high-profile case like the one explored in Suspect Convictions? That is the question that this episode tackles.

Media coverage has always played a role in this case, from initial television and newspaper coverage, to talk show radio, and now, this podcast. Opinion pieces often mix with factual coverage in the public's mind, and it can get messy. How has that played a role in the Jennifer Ann Lewis case from the very beginning, and what role does this podcast play in the case?